Triangular carton



Jan. 3, 1967 H. R. HALL TRIANGULAR CARTON 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March10, 1965 FIG.1

INVENTOR. Harrison R. Hall BY My ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1967 H. R. HALLTRIANGULAR CARTON 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 10, 1965 INVENTOR. Harrison R. Hall ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1967 H. R. HALL 3,295,740

TRIANGULAR CARTON Filed March 10, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.Harrison R. Hall ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,295,740 TRIANGULARCARTON Harrison R. Hall, Painted Post, N.Y., assignor to Corning glasWorks, (Iorning, N.Y., a corporation of New Filed Mar. 10, 1965, Ser.No. 438,685 2 Claims. (Cl. 22922) The present invention relates to animproved polygonal carton or container and the blank for forming same,and more particularly to a completely self-contained, mailabletriangular carton having a pilferproof, positive-lock bottom.

In the past, it has been necessary to bind or seal cartons with cords,adhesive tape, and the like to insure that the cartons remained closedduring transit. This significantly increased the cost of shipping andrequired extra, burdensome labor cost.

Furthermore, modern esthetic packaging, using novel geometric shapes,creates a customer appeal which the well-known rectangular and squareshapes can not produce. Customer appeal is further created by offeringconsumer items in an easily transportable and readily mailable carton. Atamperproof carton assures a consumer that the item received has notbeen meddled with in transit.

In modern packaging operations where economics is important, a reductionin packaging materials results in greater cost reduction. Less materialis used in the present invention to package a handled consumer item,than packaging the same item in known rectangular or square cartons. Thepresent invention, further, is nestable, thus requiring a smallershipper carton for any given amount of ware shipped. Greater economy isfurther realized because the blank can be glued and shipped in acollapsed condition yet may be easily assembled, locked, filled andclosed with a minimum of labor and cost.

Basically this invention relates to an easily glued and shipped cartonblank, which may be easily set up and filled and is readily closed andlocked. A carton erected from said blank is pleasing to the eye, thecontents thereof pilferproof, and the article packaged thereby can bereadily mailed, as it is purchased, without further wrapping. It hasthus been an object of the present invention to provide a tamperproofcarton.

A further object is to provide an esthetic, easily mailable containerhaving a triangular shape.

An additional object of the present invention has been to provide animproved carton having an unglued snaplock bottom, and a top lock whichwill remain closed during transit without requiring binding means.

A still further object of the present invention has been to provide aless expensive, easily glueable and readily shippable carton blank.

Another object of the present invention has been to provide an easilyassembled, filled, locked and closed container.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following disclosure and accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming a container embodying thepresent invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a partly assembled container embodyingthe present invention and formed from the blank shown in FIGURE 1illustrating the pilferage proof, snap-lock bottom thereof in anassembled position.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a carton embodying the presentinvention with the top lock in a locked posi- 1011.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of an assembled container embodying thepresent invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View of the assembled container taken along line5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of the assembled container taken along line66 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a blank 9 formed of corrugatedboard is shown for erecting an improved triangular carton. The blank 9has a back panel 13, side panels 15 and 17, and may be provided with aconventional glue flap 11. The panels 17, 15, 13 and flap 11 areseparated and hingedly connected by crease or scorelines 19, 21, and 23respectively which extend transversely across blank 9.

An intermediate bottom flap 25 and an interior separator flap lid 27 areformed integrally with back panel 13 and separated therefrom by creaseor scorelines 29 and 31 respectively. Flap 27 may be omitted when aone-piece ware article is to be packaged. An interior b0ttom flap 33 andan upper cushioning pad flap 35 are formed integrally with side panel15, and separated therefrom by crease or scoreline 37 and anintermittent crease or scoreline 39 respectively. An exterior lockbottom flap 41 and an outer top closure flap 43 are formed integrallywith side panel 17 and separated therefrom by crease or scorelines 45and 47 respectively.

The top flap 43 is provided with a tuck-in tongue flap 49 projectingoutwardly from one side thereof and connected to flap 43 by anintermittent crease or scoreline 51. A U-shaped female locking slit 53is formed along a portion of crease 51. The longitudinal portion of slit53 is slightly offset with respect to crease line 51 so as to form anopening when tuck-in flap 49 is folded downwardly along crease line 51.

A male top lock tab 55 is formed partially out of side panel 15 andupper pad flap 35 by means of a U-shaped slit or cut line 57. The malelock tab 55 is hingedly attached to side panel 15 by crease lines 59which aid in the locking function thereof. A slit line 61, slightlyofiset from creaseline 39, extends outwardly from opposite sides or malelock tab 55. The slit line 61 forms an open portion when flap 35 isfolded along crease 39, and when in an assembled position, tuck-in flap49 is relatively insertable into said open portion. Male tab 55 isrelatively insertable in the opening formed by female locking slit 53.

An asterisk slit 63 and surrounding intermittent, circular crease line65 may be formed in separator lid 27. A handle portion or knob of a warearticle cover may be pushed through asterisk 63. Thus the cover may beheld securely in place during transit and separated for another wareportion thereby preventing abrasion between portions. Crease lines 67facilitate the easy manipulation of lid 27 when a cover is attachedthereto so that the lid and attached contents may be positioned withinthe carton.

A continuous crease or score line 69 is formed in separator flap 27,back panel 13, and bottom fia-p 25. Crease line 6h allows the sidepanels and back panel to be joined, glued and shipped in a collapsed orflat condition. The collapsed carton folds along crease line 69 and 19.A glue flap 11 when present may be adhesively attached to the inner orouter surface of side panel 17. The scoreline 69 is so situated so thatit does not appreciably weaken the carton once the top and bottom areassembled.

Bottom flap 41 is provided with a male tongue portion 71 projectingoutwardly from one side thereof. Interior bottom flap 33 is providedwith a recessed portion 73. The male tongue portion 71 engages therecessed portion 73 when flaps 25, 33 and 41 are in their lockedposition.

In partially assemblying a carton from blank 9, the crease lines 19 and69 are folded so that the carton has a flat configuration. In thisposition glue flap 11 when used is relatively adhesively secured topanel 11 by hand or mechanical methods. To decrease shipping costs, the

carton may be economically shipped in this collapsed condition.

FIGURE 2 depicts an initial stage in setting up the carton for receivingware to be packed therein. To assemble the carton in accordance withFIGURE 2, the various panels 13, 15, and 17 and glue flap 11 are foldedinto a triangular configuration along scores 19, 21 and 23.

The bottom flaps 33, 25 and 41, forming a bottom end or closure portionof the carton are assembled into a closed and locked position. Theinterior bottom flap 33 is first folded inwardly along crease 37 to anangle of about 90 with side panel 15. Intermediate bottom flap 25 andexterior bottom flap 41 are then folded inwardly along creases 29 and 45respectively. Male tongue portion 71 is depressed inwardly until thetongue passes through and beyond the recessed portion 73, at which timethe resiliency of crease 45 snaps the lock flap 41 outwardly, lockingthe bottom closure portion in a closed position, with male tongue '71underlying a portion of flap 33. Accordingly, any outward force extendedon the bottom end portion by ware packaged therewithin, increases thedegree of locking effected by the bottom flaps.

After the bottom closure portion of the carton has been assembled, aspreviously described, and w-are positioned therewithin, the top flaps43, 35, and 27 are folded to :form a locked top end portion wherein thecarton is in a locked condition suitable for transit and mailing withoutadditional adhesive or binding.

Interior lid 27 is first folded inwardly alOng crease 31 to an angle ofabout 90 with the rear panel 13. When a ware article cover is shippedwith the ware, the handle or knobul ar portion of the cover may bepushed through the asterisk slit 63 which folds along intermittentcircular crease line 65. Separator flap 27 is folded inwardly alongcreases 67 to position the ware cover below the plane of the top endportion and to separate the various ware portions. Thus the cover may beheld securely in place and the separate ware portions prevented fromabrading during storage and transit.

The male tab 55 is folded backwards along creases 59 from side panel 15,in a manner shown in FIG. 6, and pad flap 35 is folded inwardly alongcrease 39 to form a slot or opening along slit 61.

Tuck-in flap 49 of top flap 43 is folded along crease 51 so as to forman angle of approximately 90 with the plane of flap 49 and form a slotor opening along U- shaped, female locking slit 53. Top flap 43 is thenfolded inwardly along crease 47. During the downward movement of flap43, the tuckin flap 49 is directed through the opening formed by slit 61and positioned within the carton adjacent the upper portion of the innersurface of side panel 15. The tab 55 is then folded inwardly anddirected through the opening formed by slit 53 and positioned within thecarton adjacent an outer portion of the inner surface of flap 43. Thusthe top portion of the container is assembled in a closed and lockedposition as hereinbefore described. The assembled container now may bestored and shipped without requiring additional binding or sealingmedia.

Thus the present invention provides an esthetic package using a novelgeometric shape. Such package is easily transportable and readilymailable yet is locked in a manner so as to be tamperproof. A moreeconomic package results because a lesser amount of board is used ascompared to known rectangular car-tons. Quantity shipping of blanks isless expensive because blanks may be transported in a collapsed state.Quantity shipping of assembled and filled cartons is less expensivebecause the containers are nestable in reverse order adjacent eachother.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials,steps and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described andillustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be madeby those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A triangular carton having improved closure means which comprises, aback wall panel and a pair of side wall panels connected together alongscore lines; a bottom closure flap foldably secured to the lower edge ofeach wall panel, one of said bottom closure flaps being an interior flaphaving a recessed portion formed therein, another of said bottom closureflaps being an intermediate fiap lying adjacent said interior flap, andthe other bottom closure flap being an exterior locking flap having amale tongue portion cooperatively positioned within the recessed portionof said interior flap; a top closure flap foldably secured to the upperedge of each side wall panel, one of said top closure flaps having aslit line formed along a portion of its foldable connection forming anopen portion therealong, a locking tab for-med partly out of said onetop closure flap and its associated side wall panel, the other of saidtop closure flaps having a tongue flap foldably projecting from one edgethereof with a locking slit formed along a portion of such fold, andsaid tongue flap projecting through the open portion formed by said slitline with said locking t-ab projecting within said locking slit toprovide a triangular carton having improved easily lockable closuremeans.

2. A carton as defined in claim 1 wherein a separator flap is hingedlysecured to the upper edge of said back wall panel with a plurality ofcrease lines for positioning said separator flap within the carton in aplane parallel to, and between, the plane of the top and bottom closureflaps; and an asterisk slit is formed in said separator flap forreceiving a portion of a ware article and maintaining it in position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,875,044 9/1932Leiper 22922 1,897,143 2/1933 Powell 229-22 X 1,996,778 4/1935 Wellman229-22 X 2,220,110 11/1940 Layton 22922 2,227,341 12/1940 Greenwood22922 3,140,811 7/1964 Hall et a1 22939 3,140,813 7/1964 Hall et al229-39 JUSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner.

1. A TRIANGULAR CARTON HAVING IMPROVED CLOSURE MEANS WHICH COMPRISES, ABACK WALL PANEL AND A PAIR OF SIDE WALL PANELS CONNECTED TOGETHER ALONGSCORE LINES; A BOTTOM CLOSURE FLAP FOLDABLY SECURED TO THE LOWER EDGE OFEACH WALL PANEL, ONE OF SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE FLAPS BEING AN INTERIOR FLAPHAVING A RECESSED PORTION FORMED THEREIN, ANOTHER OF SAID BOTTOM CLOSUREFLAPS BEING AN INTERMEDIATE FLAP LYING ADJACENT SAID INTERIOR FLAP, ANDTHE OTHER BOTTOM CLOSURE FLAP BEING AN EXTERIOR LOCKING FLAP HAVING AMALE TONGUE PORTION COOPERATIVELY POSITIONED WITHIN THE RECESSED PORTIONOF SAID INTERIOR FLAP; A TOP CLOSURE FLAP FOLDABLY SECURED TO THE UPPEREDGE OF EACH SIDE WALL PANEL, ONE OF SAID TOP CLOSURE FLAPS HAVING ASLIT LINE FORMED ALONG A PORTION OF ITS FOLDABLE CONNECTION FORMING ANOPEN PORTION THEREALONG, A LOCKING TAB FORMED PARTLY OUT OF SAID ONE TOPCLOSURE FLAP AND ITS ASSOCIATED SIDE WALL PANEL, THE OTHER OF SAID TOPCLOSURE FLAPS HAVING A TONGUE FLAP FOLDABLY PROJECTING FROM ONE EDGETHEREOF WITH A LOCKING SLIT FORMED ALONG A PORTION OF SUCH FOLD, ANDSAID TONGUE FLAP PROJECTING THROUGH THE OPEN PORTION FORMED BY SAID SLITLINE WITH SAID LOCKING TAB PROJECTING WITHIN SAID LOCKING SLIT TOPROVIDE A TRIANGULAR CARTON HAVING IMPROVED EASILY LOCKABLE CLOSUREMEANS.